


Feelings That Are Real

by heartsdesire456



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Hobbies, Light Angst, M/M, Sneaking Out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-13
Updated: 2014-11-13
Packaged: 2018-02-25 05:15:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2609828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartsdesire456/pseuds/heartsdesire456
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mack was getting really tired of certain aspects of the team.</p><p>
  <i>“You’re good for him.”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“He seems better with you around.”</i>
</p><p>
  <i>“I just wanted to thank you. For helping Fitz. Well, for being his friend.”</i>
</p><p>It was seriously getting old. He got that everybody else seemed to seriously think Fitz was broken or something, but it had gone from people thinking he had anything to do with Fitz getting better to people thanking him for <i>being his friend</i>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Feelings That Are Real

**Author's Note:**

> First FitzMack, because I've been busy with other things since I started shipping it (and subsequently read all the fics on AO3 in the pairing, lmao!).
> 
> That said, I'm happy with what I've got here. It may not be my best work, but it's new characters I'm learning my way around here!

Mack was getting really tired of certain aspects of the team.

_“You’re good for him.”_

_“He seems better with you around.”_

_“I just wanted to thank you. For helping Fitz. Well, for being his friend.”_

It was seriously getting old. He got that everybody else seemed to seriously think Fitz was broken or something, but it had gone from people thinking he had anything to do with Fitz getting better to people thanking him for _being his friend_.

It probably wasn’t the best time to hit his limit, but when Coulson showed up to check up on his car – not that Mack had had any time to actually get on that yet - he never expected him to join the trend. “You know,” he started, leaning against the workbench. “Some of the others, they’ve mentioned how much time you and Fitz seem to be spending together.”

Mack smiled and nodded. “He’s got a lot going on in the lab. It’s hard to get away sometimes.”

Coulson nodded. “It’s good to see someone helping him out and keeping him busy,” he said earnestly. 

Mack knew he didn’t mean it to be so patronizing, but after all the people to bring it up, he’d reached a limit. He slammed his hand onto the edge of the SUV he was fixing and stood tall, coming from under the hood. “I swear to God, Sir, if you follow that up with ‘thank you’ for anything _at all_ relating to Fitz, Director or not, I will punch you in the face,” he snapped, and Coulson looked somewhat taken aback.

“I didn’t mean-“

“I know you don’t! None of you do!” he argued. He gestured towards the hall to the lab with his greasy rag. “I’m not helping him or keeping him busy! He isn’t _broken_ and I’m not fixing him! I’m not spending time with Fitz because I think somebody should do it and nobody else is stepping up to the plate. I’m not hanging out with him because he needs somebody to keep him company and y’all are always in and out on missions!” He threw the rag at the bench. “It’s hard to get away from the lab because he has been teaching me things that I never knew were possible. Hell, he shows me stuff he invented that I didn’t even know SHIELD had.” He shook his head. “You all act like he’s useless and then seem all shocked when he thinks he is, you know?” he accused. “Y’all leave him out of plans, you write him off like he’s a damn child just because he’s got a few problems. So what his dexterity isn’t what it was before? So what he has trouble communicating?” He shook his head. “You think the shit we build together is all me and him helping out? I’m not a genius! I’m just providing the hands he needs since his don’t listen to him as easily anymore.”

Coulson straightened his tie. “Agent Mackenzie, I see what you mean,” he said, clearly still surprised by his outburst. “Maybe we do treat him differently-“

“You don’t treat him differently, you treat him like he’s not him anymore,” Mack argued.

Coulson’s mouth tightened. “You didn’t know him before,” he countered.

Mack shrugged. “No. No I didn’t,” he admitted. “But you know what I have done?” he asked, tilting his head. “I’ve given him a chance to do things the way he has to now. I’ve learned to interpret the way he explains things now. He’s adapting, and you all just want him to get better.” He shook his head. “There is no ‘better’, Sir,” he said in a more gentle tone. “He isn’t ‘bad’ now. He’s just different. He’s just as smart as he ever was, he just has to find a new way to do things.” Mack gave him a stern look. “Fitz isn’t going to be what he used to be, because you don’t live through the shit he has and come out on the other side the same person. All of you changed. He just changed a little more. What you have now? That’s what you’ve got, and what you’ve got in that lab is an actual _genius_ who just has to speak in circles to communicate what he means.” He shook his head. “He’s the same Fitz. He’s just speaking a new language. If any of you spent any time at all with him, you’d learn it the same way I am.”

Coulson looked at him for a moment before a small, amused smile found its way to his face. “Thank you, Agent Mackenzie,” he said, turning to leave without another comment.

Mack turned back to his tools, only to stop and call out to Coulson, “Hey, one more thing.” Coulson stopped and turned back. Mack gave him a look. “Spread the word that if one more person thanks me for being his damn friend, like that’s some kind of hardship?” He shook his head. “I don’t care how badass they are, I’ll definitely punch them in the face, Sir.”

Coulson nodded seriously, but Mack could hear him chuckling as he walked out of the garage.

~

The next time anybody brought up his friendship with Fitz, thankfully, it wasn’t to thank him for it.

Mack glared at the side of Fitz’s head. “Fitz, it’s three in the morning. You haven’t left this lab in twenty-seven hours-“

“Yes, yes, whatever,” Fitz argued, flapping his hand at Mack as he cut him off. “If I can just get this equation right…”

Mack groaned, dropping his head to the table. “Turbo, I know, man. I get it. But you gotta take a nap. Just for a little while, okay?”

Fitz didn’t even acknowledge he had spoken. “There’s this electron transfer that just isn’t quite right,” he muttered, tweaking his model. “See, if I can figure out what’s causing this-“

“Fitz-“

“I can work out how to fix it-“

“Fitz-“

“And then we can-“

“FITZ!” Mack said louder, but Fitz just kept going on about doing more math.

“And then I can get the sum of these two,” he muttered, pointing at something. “Quick, do this, my numbers aren’t right.”

Mack came to a decision and stood up. Instead of doing math for Fitz, he grabbed him by the waist and picked him up, ignoring Fitz’s squawking and flailing and tossed him over one shoulder. “MACK! What the bloody hell are you DOING TO ME?!” he cried, wiggling around. “Mack!”

Mack shrugged Fitz further onto his shoulder and curled his arm around the back of his thighs as he carried him around the lab table. “Nope, you’re going to your room, and you’re gonna take a nap-“

“I am NOT a damn CHILD!” Fitz cried in contempt.

Mack chuckled. “No, children take naps with less of a fight than this, you’re a damn scientist. All y’all geeks suck at taking care of yourself.” When he walked out, Skye was in the hall. She stopped and blinked when he walked past with a yelling, swearing Fitz over one shoulder. He just nodded to her in greeting.

“Uh… Mack? What’s with the caveman thing?” she asked, following them.

“SKYE!” Fitz squeaked. “He’s gone mad! Save me! OW!” He glared around at Mack, reaching up to rub at his butt where Mack smacked him. “That was my BUM!”

Mack smirked. “Sorry Skye, for the outburst. Fitz hasn’t slept in more than twenty-four hours and he wouldn’t go take a nap on his own, so I’m taking him to bed.”

She smirked, wiggling her eyebrows. “Kinky,” she said, and Mack glared at her. She chuckled. “Listen to him, though, Fitz. You’ve got to rest or you’ll turn into a May,” she teased and he just glared at her – as best he could upside down – until they rounded a corner and she kept going straight.

After a brief argument once they actually got to his room, Mack finally convinced Fitz to go to bed. When he left him, he found Skye hanging out with the others in the lounge. “Fitz out?” she asked and he nodded, walking over to flop into his favorite chair.

“I swear, the boy doesn’t seem realize he has to sleep and eat,” Mack grumbled, rubbing at his eyes with the heels of his hands. 

Skye snickered. “Well, I’m sure he will appreciate you interfering later.”

Bobbi grinned. “Skye says you carried him over your shoulder. I’d have liked to see that,” she said, walking past to hand him a beer on her way to sit down. “He is so little, isn’t he?” She snickered. “Is it a rule big brains come in small packages?”

Skye scoffed. “You’re an Amazon and Mack is literally bigger than an Asgardian,” she stressed. “We can’t help being average person sized.”

Hunter hummed. “You know, I’d get pissed if Mack tossed me over the shoulder and carried me off, too.”

“I dunno, I’d like it,” Bobbi said, blowing Mack a kiss, making him chuckle. “You look better than ever, a girl could get a special kind of excited having you carry her around.”

Mack shrugged. “Too bad I never did like ‘em all that much, or you’d have been my first choice, Bob,” he said, and Hunter huffed.

“Oh great, I thought I was the only one that called you Bob,” he said and Bobbi rolled her eyes, not bothering to comment. 

Skye blinked and then her jaw dropped as she looked at Mack. “ _Oh_ ,” she said loudly, bouncing in her seat. “THAT’S why you keep spending so much time with Fitz,” she said, a smirk growing across her face. “Why Mack! You sneaky, sneaky man!”

Bobbi raised an eyebrow at her. “What’s why?” she asked, then looked at Mack, who was picking at the label of his beer and staring too hard. She gasped lightly. “No way!”

Hunter frowned. “What? I don’t like being left out. What are we ‘no way’ing?!” he asked petulantly. 

Mack rolled his eyes. “Nothing that concerns you-“

“Mack totally likes Fitz!” Skye said excitedly. “In a naked way,” she added, as if her meaning wasn’t clear enough.

Hunter just blinked. “Yeah, and?” Mack looked at him in surprise and Hunter looked around. “What? Was this not common knowledge?” he asked incredulously. “Fitz is great and all, but brilliant or not, none of the rest of us look at him like he’s the best thing in the room, mate,” he said to Mack. “He’s short and has a baby face and its weird how you look at his bum, it just is,” he said and Mack glared.

Bobbi looked surprised. “How the hell did you notice before anybody else?” she asked Hunter, who shrugged.

“No clue. I thought we all knew they’d be shagging all over the place if Fitz was lucid enough for Mack not to feel wrong about it,” he answered.

Mack raised an eyebrow. “Fitz can make his own decisions about who he wants to sleep with, there’s no ‘lucid’ enough for shit, Man. He’s mentally capable of doing anything he damn well wants to. He has aphasia and apraxia, not a diminished mental capacity.” They all looked at him and he narrowed his eyes. “Have you all actually been here for the past few months thinking Fitz is mentally handicapped or something?” he demanded. He shook his head, standing up. “This is what I keep talking about! It’s what I told Coulson. All y’all stuck him in his lab and left him there like a little kid at the play table while the adults talk, and none of you have paid enough attention to him to realize he’s _the same_ , he just can’t communicate that!”

Hunter raised his beer. “For the record, I became aware of this not long after we got here. He’s definitely still a genius, smart as ever, just rambles a lot and figured you thought that meant he couldn’t really say yes or no.”

Skye shrugged. “He kinda always did that,” she added. “Before, he and Simmons both spoke petty endlessly about everything. It’s like a cooking show where they describe what they’re doing out loud to nobody in particular, just really fast.”

Mack huffed. He was getting fed up with everybody when it came to Fitz. “Fitz is still Fitz. He just can’t say things the way he wants to, he can’t write things correctly, and his hands don’t want to listen to him sometimes.” He shook his head. “And he’s not going to get better. And nobody is learning to adapt to how he has to do stuff now. That’s why he gets frustrated and has outbursts so much. You all expect him to get better, but the brain damage he suffered isn’t gonna get better,” he said sadly. “It’s not. That’s the reason he gets so upset when Simmons is around now she’s back, because she keeps treating him like he’s going to get better eventually and going ‘it’s okay, you’ll get it next time’ when he messes up.” He downed the rest of his beer and then set the bottle on the table. “It’s about damn time somebody besides me takes the time to realize he doesn’t need to get better. He’s fine the way he is,” he said as he turned to walk out.

Mack was so done with people who were supposed to be Fitz’s friends acting like this.

~

Mack walked into the lab just in time to hear Simmons try to guess what Fitz was about to say. “The cooling coil, yes!” Mack sighed and stopped in the doorway because he had seen Fitz’s hand motion and knew that he was trying to get her to go back one, but she clearly didn’t understand it. Simmons grabbed something. “What part of this schematic-“

“No!” Fitz got out, and Mack’s heart sank when he watched him opening and closing his mouth and twiddling his fingers, trying to get something out. “The- the- the- erm- back, before-“

“The retroactive-“

“Stop it!” Fitz snapped at Simmons and she jumped some, looking at him with wide eyes. “Jemma, just stop,” he said, holding out a hand. “Before. Back- uh-“ He snapped beside his head. “Back, back, before the- the-“ he made the same hand motion he had been making to mean ‘go back a word’ at her repeatedly, eyes full of desperation for her to understand. 

She shook her head. “Fitz, what back? What before? Heating before cooling?” she asked, and Mack watched as Fitz’s cheeks started to flush and he started to shake.

“Just- just back,” he all but pleaded, voice cracking. “I can’t- I’m-“ He let out a whimper. “ _It’s before_.”

Mack walked into the room fully. “Fitz, hey,” he said gently, walking closer. “Work with me, Turbo,” he said, leaning against the table across from them. “Before,” he said, making the same hand motion Fitz used to mean ‘go back a word’. “What did she say?” he asked, making the motion to make sure Fitz realized he could understand.

Fitz looked at Simmons. “Before. Before the cold one!” he pleaded, but she just looked increasingly upset.

“Fitz, I just can’t understand,” she said gently, reaching out to touch his shoulder. “It’s alright, we’ll come back to it later.” Mack winced, already knowing that wouldn’t end well. He tried to say something, but Fitz just made a frustrated and angry cry and threw the beaker he’d been holding across the lab so that it shattered on the wall besides another scientist, who screamed the same as Simmons, only Simmons didn’t flee the room. “Fitz!” she cried, but Mack jumped up.

“Hey, hey, Turbo!” He rounded the table and caught his elbows, pushing his arms down from where he was reaching up to tug at his hair. “Fitz, Fitz, just stop,” he said in a gentle tone, rubbing his upper arms soothingly as he looked down, holding his gaze. “Fitz, breathe, okay?”

Fitz let out a broken sound. “I can’t say it. I just- I just want- I want- GRRRR!” he growled in frustration, reaching up to pull at his hair only for Mack to catch his wrists. “ _Mack_ ,” he sobbed helplessly, shoulders shaking as tears streamed down his face.

Mack pulled Fitz’s wrists around him and slid his hands up Fitz’s arms and curled his arms around his shoulders, hugging him. “I know, Turbo. Trust me, man, I get it,” he said, meeting Simmons’s eyes over his head. She was tears in her eyes, but when she met Mack’s glance she just nodded and put down her clipboard, silently exiting the room. He knew he had underestimated how much she cared about Fitz. She wasn’t the bad person he thought she was at the start, she just didn’t know how to interact with a Fitz that was different from the one she’d known for so long.

“I can’t even talk today,” Fitz sobbed against his chest, clutching tightly at his shirt. “I can’t- I can’t make anybody understand. I hate it _so much_ ,” he whimpered and Mack pressed his lips to Fitz’s hair, rubbing his back in slow, soothing strokes.

“I’ve got you, Fitz. It’s just a bad day. That’s all it is,” he murmured slowly and softly, trying to calm Fitz down. “Everybody has bad days, even geeks like you,” he teased gently and Fitz made a soft sound that seemed to be amusement that he didn’t want to express. Mack raised one hand and gently carded his fingers through Fitz’s curls. “I know some days you feel like you can’t get your words out, and I know it isn’t your fault you get so frustrated. I know all about getting frustrated at stuff. But you have to stop breaking our shit, man,” he joked and Fitz chuckled wetly against his shirt. “We’re broke, Turbo. We can’t afford too much broken shit, we’ll end up measuring stuff with a measuring cup and coffee mugs instead of graduated cylinders and beakers.”

Fitz turned his head to the side, not lifting his head from Mack’s chest, but looking at his arm, reaching up to pick at Mack’s sleeve instead of bury his face in his shirt. “I just…” He whimpered softly. “Jemma was the only friend I ever had before joining Coulson’s team. I met her when I was sixteen years old and it’s been me and her since. I can’t _stand_ that she can’t understand me.” He rubbed his face against Mack’s shirt some. “We used to finish each other sentences. Now I can’t talk well enough to finish my own and she can’t tell what I’m going to say anymore.”

Mack nodded. “I know it’s hard, but you know the reason she can’t do it is because you’ve had to relearn how to say what you mean if the words won’t come out right. She hasn’t spent as much time around you lately. She’s been off on Coulson’s assignment. She’ll get it, don’t worry.”

“She thinks I’m gonna get better. But I’m not,” Fitz muttered, sounding so helpless that Mack wanted to scoop him up and take him somewhere safe so he never sounded that way again. “I just- I just want people to understand.”

Mack nodded. “I know, Turbo. But hey, if I can learn how to tell what you’re trying to say, anybody can. Especially a genius like Simmons.”

Fitz shrugged slightly. “Doesn’t seem like anybody else even realizes they have to learn what I’m trying to say. Seems like they’d rather just not try.”

Mack grumbled. “Then they can get their asses kicked when I find out they’re isolating you because they’re too lazy to understand what they’re missing by leaving you out. They can hang that shit up or I’ll just keep you to myself and laugh at them when they need something.”

Fitz chuckled and Mack could see the smile on his lips. After a short, not at all uncomfortable silence, Fitz made a soft sound. “I promise I’ll get off you in a minute. I just forgot how nice a hug felt.”

Mack’s chest tightened and he had to fight to keep from making a sound that belied how much Fitz’s words broke his heart a little before saying, “It’s all cool, cause I’m not ready to let go anyways.” He smiled against the crown of Fitz’s head. “I’m here whenever you need me, you know? I’ve always got you.”

Fitz just made a sound to the affirmative as he released the tight hold he had on his shirt and loosely wrapped his arms around Mack’s middle instead.

~

Fitz had gone to his room to rest some, so Mack went to find Simmons and make sure she was alright. When he found her, she was sitting in the lounge with Skye, who was rubbing her back. She looked up and sniffled when she saw him. “Is Fitz okay?” she asked, and he nodded, going to sit in a chair across from them.

“He’s fine. We talked a little while then he went to his room,” he said. “You okay?”

She laughed weakly, nodding. “Oh I’m fine.” She shrugged. “My best friend in the whole world and all I can do is upset him.” She pressed her lips to her fingers briefly, shaking her head. “He’s no better. I gave him time and he just got worse. I’m not even able to work with him now-“

Mack held up a hand. “Alright, I’m gonna stop you there,” he said, letting a little more frustration bleed into his voice than he meant. She looked taken aback and Skye gave him a warning look. “I’m hearing a hell of a lot of ‘I’ in there, and a decent dose of ignorance.”

“Mack!” Skye snapped in surprise and Mack gave her a flat look.

He turned back to Simmons. “First off, it’s not your fault he’s like this,” he said firmly and she sniffled.

“But it _is_ -“

“No, it’s not,” he stressed. “That bastard Nazi is the reason he’s like this.” He waved a hand. “But, it’s not about you, either. It’s about Fitz.” He shook his head. “He’s not ‘worse’. Fitz may not be better, and yeah, he was really hurt by you leaving because he thought you left because you didn’t want to be around him,” he said and she winced, another tear slipping down her cheek. “But that?” he pointed towards the lab. “That’s not Fitz being ‘worse’. He’s just more upset by you not understanding because you’re his best friend.”

She let out a weak sound. “But what is there to understand?! He doesn’t know what he’s saying-“

“No,” Mack said firmly. “You’re wrong. He does.” He tapped his temple. “All the stuff up here is fine. He’s same old Fitz apart from the usual trauma that comes with being in SHIELD. He just has trouble communicating.” He sat up and made the same motion near his ear like Fitz does. “This thing he was doing?” She looked at his hand, clearly surprised by his action. “He’s saying to go back a word. He wanted you to go back to the word you said before whatever you kept trying to tell him.”

She frowned. “How do you know?”

Mack scoffed. “Because I pay attention to him! All y’all keep ignoring him. All of you focus on how much it hurts _you_ to see him like this instead of spending time with him and learning his new way of communicating. He’s not the same, he’s not gonna be the same, so until people learn to adapt to his new way of saying shit, you’re gonna keep hurting him. I’m not saying you’re selfish,” he said gently. “It’s just that you’re focused on wanting your friend to be the same as he was instead of realizing he is going to have to do things differently.” He smiled some. “I realize that it’s easier for me because I didn’t know him before. All I’ve ever known is this Fitz. But like this-“ He did the motion. “I’ve picked up on his new way of doing stuff.”

Simmons took a breath and nodded. “So that thing you did… he wanted me to go back a word? That’s what he meant by before?” she asked.

Mack nodded. “It’s not always what he wants to say, like exactly, but it’s close to what he meant.” Mack shrugged. “It’s not easy. And you have to push him sometimes. All of you have got to stop coddling him,” he stressed. “He’s not a child. It’s like I told Coulson when he made the mistake of thanking me for being Fitz’s friend, like I was doing something charitable instead of doing what all of you should be doing and treating him like a person: Fitz is an adult. He may have suffered a lot, but news flash! All of us have suffered a fucking traumatic experience or twelve. Treating him like a fragile little doll instead of an adult is patronizing, not helping him out.”

Simmons smiled wetly. “I’m really glad he’s had you,” she said and Mack smiled back, ducking his head a little.

“I just don’t get how anybody can ignore him, is all.” He shook his head. “I’m not helping him, he’s teaching me. The kid’s got more talents than I’ll ever have and everything he does is like watching a master at work to me.”

Skye wiggled her eyebrows. “Suuuuuure. It’s the science. Not big blue eyes and pouty lips,” she said and Mack glared at her. Simmons looked up at him in surprise, only to frown.

“Actually… that makes a lot of sense,” she said, and Mack raised an eyebrow. She shrugged, laughing softly. “The way you got very defensive when I first came back. If I thought someone hurt him on purpose, I’d be the same way, but I’ve been best friends with Fitz for years, you’ve known him a few months.” 

Mack just sighed and stood up. “That’s really not the point, the science really is what matters most.”

Skye snickered. “And we entirely believe you,” she said, and Simmons grinned, nodding.

“Definitely believe you.” Mack walked out to the sound of giggling and sighed, shaking his head. 

Keeping secrets around spies was hard.

~

Mack looked up at the clock and knew it was late, but he was almost done with this last one and he didn’t want to give up before he finished. There was a knock at his door before he could finish, however. “It’s open,” he called, not wanting to lose his spot as he sewed on the second of four last buttons.

“Mack, I was wondering-“ Mack looked up when Fitz stopped talking, and froze, needle in hand, when Fitz looked at the floor around his bed. Fitz walked closer, tilting his head to look at a dress Mack had finished earlier. “You- you sew?” Fitz asked, looking at the sewing machine on his desk with a frown.

Mack had never had any of the others notice before, so he wasn’t really sure how to explain. “Well… yeah.” He ducked his head some. “I’m good at it,” he said, shrugging.

Fitz picked up the tiny pink dress and raised an eyebrow, holding it up in front of him. “Not exactly your size,” he said, and Mack smiled sheepishly. Fitz walked over, folding the dress to put on the desk as he sat in the chair. He looked over Mack’s sewing. “What are these?”

Mack leaned back against the wall, letting his hands fall to his lap, cloth and all, so he didn’t lose the needle by putting it down. “I do it for a charity group,” he explained, and Fitz looked up, clearly surprised. “There’s this group back in my hometown, these old church ladies sew clothes for poor kids. When I was little, my Mom was a seamstress, so I knew how to sew.” He looked around his room. “After I joined SHIELD I realized sewing was a good way to just zone out for a while and it’s good for dexterity, so it’s good for my mechanical stuff.” He shrugged, smiling almost shyly. “I’ve shipped out three boxes since I joined Coulson’s team.”

Fitz held up the little dress and glanced at Mack. “Where do you get the material?” he asked curiously.

“Well, they go through a lot of clothes around here,” he said with a shrug. “When you get oil stains on a shirt, they toss them. I wash them and then use the fabric that’s fine, since a little kid doesn’t need as much fabric as an adult. Nobody’s noticed I steal their trashed shirts and nobody’s asked what I’ve shipped out, so I kinda just don’t mention it.” He held up the little shirt he was sewing. “Pretty sure this one was your shirt, actually. The one you burned the cuff on a few weeks ago.”

Fitz looked at the six articles of clothing – five tiny dresses and the little shirt in his hands – and then gave Mack a look full of absolute wonder, as a smile spread across his face. “Wow. Mack, that- this?” He gestured around him. “This is incredible.” He laughed softly, eyes twinkling as he waved the dress. “Why would you keep something like this to yourself? It’s amazing.” He grinned. “C’mon, everybody thinks Agent Morse is a badass, but this is definitely the most heroic thing anybody around here’s doing.”

Mack shrugged, smiling sheepishly. “Nah, Man, it’s just a hobby.”

“Mack,” Fitz said with a playfully stern glare. “You’re literally recycling the team’s rubbish and turning it into _clothes_ for children in need.” He gave Mack this bright, almost disarming look of admiration. “Definitely a better super hero than the others. They just break my weapons I can’t fix anymore and then mope about how what they’ve got left is shite,” he joked and Mack laughed quietly.

“They do mope a lot, don’t they?” he asked. He finished sewing the button he was working n quickly then looked up, setting the shirt aside. “Alright, what did you need, Turbo?” he asked expectantly.

Fitz looked up, then shook his head. “Nah, it was nothing.” He spun the chair a little and looked at the other clothing pieces then at the shirt in Mack’s lap. “Can- can I watch?” he asked, chewing on his lip as if he was nervous Mack would kick him out.

Mack grinned and nodded. “Sure.” He patted the bed beside him, picking up the shirt and needle and threat. “Come here, you can see better.” Fitz scrambled over as if fearing Mack might change his mind, setting with his legs crossed beside Mack. “You’ve sewn buttons back on before, right?” he asked, and Fitz blushed slightly.

“Erm… Jemma always mends my things,” he said and Mack gave him a look that said he was far from surprised. “But it’s gotta be like-“ He made a gesture “In and out, right?”

Mack nodded. “Basically. Here, watch.” He grabbed a button and moved to the next spot on the shirt. “You have to do it several times around so the button stays on. Especially with kids clothes. I realize it’s free clothes for poor kids whose families can’t really afford clothes, but just cause they’re cheaply made doesn’t mean they should fall apart when the kid starts playing, you know?” He demonstrated what he meant, and Fitz watched, leaning in with his chin digging into Mack’s upper arm he was watching so closely. When he finished with the button and cut the thread, Fitz smiled, reaching out to touch the button gently.

“That’s really cool,” he said, lifting his head to cast his smile on Mack instead. “Look at you, being a super hero.”

Mack rolled his eyes. “Turbo, for the last time-“

“Oh shut it,” Fitz said, laughing as he sat up straight. “Definitely are.” He settled into Mack’s side, watching eagerly as he finished putting buttons on the shirt. When Mack was done, he held out the shirt and Fitz smiled brightly. “That’s really cool.”

Mack nodded. “Some kid will get a new shirt out of your old shirt.” 

Fitz brightened up. “I’ll be sure to leave my clothes in your room from now on.” After a pause, Mack realized, yes, Fitz, just said that, and Fitz flushed. “Uh, I mean- I-“ Mack snorted and snickered, nearly doubling over with laughter. Fitz rolled his eyes and shoved him over against the wall. He stood up and Mack instantly felt cold from where Fitz had pressed against him. “You look tired, so I’m gonna go,” he said, putting his hands in his pockets sheepishly as he backed away towards the door. “But, erm, thank you.”

Mack raised an eyebrow, a smirk still playing across his lips. “For what?”

Fitz shrugged with a shy smile. “For telling me about this part of you. I’m glad you trust me with this.”

Mack gave him a warm look. “It’s all cool. It’s not a big secret, or anything.” He shrugged. “Hell, if I’d known you’d think it made me cool, I’d have probably told you already.”

Fitz laughed. “Always wanting to look like an even bigger badass,” he teased as he opened the door. “G’night, Mack,” he called as he walked out.

“Night, Turbo,” Mack called back, watching until Fitz was gone. 

When he went to bed, he rolled onto his side and just thinking about the look of wonder in Fitz’s eyes was enough to make his insides glow with warmth.

~

Mack hadn’t seen Fitz and Simmons together since Fitz’s freak out nearly two weeks before, so he was happy to see Fitz handing her things while she made sandwiches at the kitchen counter, talking to the others, who were hanging round with various food of their own. “I’m just saying, to discount the existence of Bigfoot would mean debunking every single sighting, and there are thousands,” Skye said, licking ketchup off her fingertip.

“Yes,” Simmons said, her voice as friendly and pleasant as ever. “But there are other explanations!” She looked up as Mack walked in and gestured to him with the bottle of mustard. “A man of Mack’s size and skin tone at a distance could easily be mistaken as a Sasquatch.”

Mack snickered “Hey, you know what they say about a man with big feet,” he said, wiggling hi eyebrows as he walked past Simmons to the refrigerator. Skye snorted and Mack laughed when he saw Simmons’s cheeks flushed at his claim. 

Trip rolled his eyes. “No brother is gonna be walking round in the woods, come on,” he said, and Mack shot him a look. “What?! You name one black friend that would be hiking around in the mountains.”

Mack came back with a bottle of coke and shrugged, leaning his elbows on the counter beside Skye. “I used to go camping with my granddaddy every summer. To each his own, man.”

“Yeah, don’t racially profile yourself!” Skye said to Trip, who glared at her. “What? I’m living proof not all Asians are good at math,” she countered and Trip laughed, shaking his head. Skye turned to Fitz, who was slowly but surely spreading sauce on a piece of bread. “What do you say, Fitz? Bigfoot real?”

“Of course it is,” he said, looking up. He hooked a thumb to his right. “Simmons will never accept that though. She doesn’t even believe Nessie exists-“

“There is no way for there to possibly actually be some creature in Loch Ness!” Simmons argued and Fitz rolled his eyes.

“There’s plenty of ways it could be possible! What’re the chances it’s been a hoax all this time, then?” he countered. 

“If there were some creature it would need far more food that Loch Ness provides-“

“Have you ever _seen_ Loch Ness? It’s- erm- ah- not small-“ He snapped his fingers then pointed. “Huge! It’s massive!” Fitz argued, and Mack gathered from their exasperated expressions even without looking at each other that this was an old argument.

Hunter whistled as he walked in. “What’s huge?”

“Your ego?” Bobbi asked, coming in on his heels. “Hey guys,” she said, dropping what looked like a bag full of lead pipes onto the ground beside her as she slid into a barstool. “One of those for me?” she asked Simmons, who smiled at her.

“It can be if you like turkey and wheat,” she said, grabbing more bread. “And no, we’re talking about the absolute impossibility of the Loch Ness Monster existing-“

“She exists!” Fitz argued, and Simmons made a frustrated sound, glaring over at him. Fitz gestured with a piece of lettuce. “There are plenty of large mammals or amphibians discovered very year, not to mention there’s the added chance that it could be- be- not from here-“

“Alien?” Mack offered. “Extraterrestrial?”

“That one!” Fitz said, tapping his arm.

“Oh so now Nessie is an alien?” she asked and Fitz held up both hands.

“Who here is Scottish?” he asked loudly, glaring playfully at Simmons. “Loch Ness is the second deepest loch in Scotland, and the second largest after Loch Lomond, and it’s got the greatest volume for all of that. Not to mention very murky water. I’ve been there!”

Simmons sniffed. “And did you see a lake monster?” she asked, and Fitz narrowed his eyes.

“Just beause I didn’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there-“

“Oh but yer th’ gret Sco’ish expert in Lake Beasties,” Simmons said, putting on a pretty terrible mockery of Fitz’s accent. “Besides, you’re not even from that area, you’re from Glasgow!”

Fitz just raised an eyebrow. “That’s easily the worst Scottish accent I’ve ever heard. And I heard Skye’s attempt,” he said, and Skye shrugged.

“I don’t do accents like you,” she said, looking totally okay with that. 

Mack looked at Fitz with a small smile. “You can do accents?” he asked curiously.

Fitz blushed but nodded. “My dorky American computer salesman voice is definitely off the chain, don’t you think?” he asked with a small grin, and Mack’s jaw dropped at Fitz’s voice.

Hunter and Bobbi both laughed, clapping. Skye joined in and even Simmons gave him a smile, sighing and shaking her head. “Alright, alright, whatever.” She passed him a finished sandwich on a plate. “You passing for American doesn’t change that the Loch Ness monster doesn’t exist,” she finished with an air of finality.

Fitz huffed but took the plate. “Whatever. My- erm.” He frowned for a second, but before Mack could help out, he started right back up. “My mum’s brother definitely saw Nessie-“

Mack laughed and reached out, laying a hand over Fitz’s on the counter. “Just let it go, Turbo, you won’t win this one.” He winked, lowering his voice to a faked whisper. “I totally believe you, though.”

Fitz beamed. “Thank you, Mack.” He squeezed his hand. “See? Mack believes me!” he said and Simmons made a face.

“Oh well, if _Mack_ elieves you-“

“Oh shut it, you,” Fitz grumbled, poking her with a fork before picking up the sandwich she’d slid him. “Oh hey.” He looked at the sandwich he’d made then the one in his hand. He shrugged and picked up the untouched sandwich and offered it to Mack. “Want a sandwich? It’s… some kind of meat with the avocado and lime stuff?” he offered.

Mack shrugged. “Yeah, if you don’t want it.” He took the sandwich and took a bite, only to instantly stop. “Uh… what is this?” he asked, looking up at Fitz.

Fitz smiled sheepishly. “Um, I’m bad at cooking?” he asked, grimacing as Mack spit the bite he’s taken back onto the plate.

“Are you trying to kill your friend, Fitz?” Simmons asked, smacking the sandwich from Mack’s hand, not that he cared. “He put peanut butter on one piece of the bread,” she said, and Mack gave Fitz a glare.

He shrugged innocently. “What? I was mostly practicing the whole sandwich making hand stuff while I’m having a good day,” he said and Mack grimaced.

“And I’m real proud, but man, don’t ever make a sandwich again,” he said, earning laughs from the others.

Hunter grabbed a pickle off Simmons’s plate, jerking back before she could smack his hand. “Good thing you’re smart, Fitz.” He took a bite. “Ne’er go-a get a ‘usban wih ‘hose cookin’ skills,” he said with his mouth full. He winked at Mack, who tried his best to kill him with his eyes without letting his smile slip.

Skye scoffed. “Oh please. Fitz built a freaking _light saber_ \- in real life – already. Who needs a housewife when you have a cute dude that made a LIGHT SABER!” 

Mack did a double take. “Whoa, _what_?!”

Fitz blushed when he looked at him, shrugging. “It’s called a Mouse Hole. It’s not a light saber. It’s like a highly concentrated laser cutter. It’s like a laser pointer, but it quickly and neatly cuts holes through just about anything-“

“It’s a light saber!” Skye argued, bouncing excitedly. “I got to touch one! It’s so cool! I almost killed Coulson, but it was worth it!”

Mack grinned. “Man, Turbo, that’s awesome!” He sipped his coke. “Next sci-fi creation better be a real Sonic Screwdriver, though.” Both Fitz and Simmons both looked up so fast it was amazing they didn’t get whiplash, eyes wide like they had seen the second coming of Christ. Mack frowned. “What?”

Simmons almost cut him off with a shrill. “You watch Doctor Who?!” she asked excitedly, and Mack chucked in amusement, but nodded. Fitz turned to Simmons, who squeaked excitedly. “Finally! Someone else with some sense!”

“You have no idea how inconsiderate to our needs Coulson was on the Bus,” Fitz said in a playfully serious tone. “We didn’t even get to see the Christmas Special last year.”

Trip gave him a disappointed shake of his head. “Dude, Mack, you’re a giant geek like them, aren’t you?”

Mack shrugged. “Not really. I just started watching with my niece a few years back. Just a few episodes. Didn’t think much of it at first, but this leggy, sassy redhead really caught my attention. Next thing I knew, I was kinda into the story. The garage at the New York office didn’t get that much work so I had tons of time on my hands and Netflix.”

Simmons smiled. “Awww that’s adorable!” She nudged Fitz. “I’d heard about it for years growing up cause my mum liked it, then we were friends at SHIELD Academy when they restarted it so we’ve watch most of it together.” She glared at Skye. “Someone won’t join us-“

“Yo, I’m totally over aliens,” Skye said, holding up her hands. “I don’t need fictional ones on top of the real ones. Mack can be your new nerd friend,” she said, gesturing to Mack like he was the showcase on a game show. 

Mack gave them a wary smile. “So… if I say I’m only a casual fan, will you let me off the hook?”

“Nope,” Simmons said, and Fitz nodded.

“You have to watch with us now. You’ll come join us if I have to drag you into the lounge and sit on you,” he threatened playfully.

Mack had the mental image of tiny little Fitz dragging him anywhere and he chuckled, but nodded. “Fine, I know when I’m beat,” he allowed and Fitz beamed.

“Good.”

Mack let the conversation shift to other topics even as he tried to avoid the way Hunter was giving him a knowing look and Bobbi was making pointed glances at Fitz and flashing him thumbs ups every few minutes. He also didn’t miss the fact that, for a whole conversation, Fitz didn’t stumble over his words hardly any. He was still having trouble making his hands listen, which was apparently with how he was slow and careful with cutlery, but he knew Fitz was much easier frustrated with his words than his hands.

Mack knew he wasn’t always going to have good days, but it supported his theory that, when Fitz was comfortable and happy, he had less trouble than usual. Mack wanted to help keep him having as many good days as he could from then on.

~

It was hard to watch Fitz getting frustrated after several good days in a row, but Mack was starting to understand his frustration every time one of the other lab rats Coulson called scientists tried to ‘help’ Fitz and just bothered him worse. Mack tried to help out, but Fitz wasn’t able to explain what he meant to Mack, even if Mack usually had no trouble figuring out what Fitz meant.

It didn’t help at all that the other scientists kept interrupting. 

“The- the wire… thing,” Fitz said, gesturing to the configurations. “Coiled wire thing-“

“Electromagnet?”

“No, it’s simple thing, just a coily thing.” Mack tilted his head and Fitz sighed in frustration. He opened his mouth to speak again, but was interrupted. “The season and a coily thing-“

A girl in a lab coat was showing an older man around. “And Dr. Andrews, this is Dr. Leo Fitz-“

Fitz slammed his hand on the table. “Can’t you see I’m working here?!” he snapped. “I’m trying to get out this bloody word you stupid-“ Mack put a hand over Fitz’s mouth quickly, but glared at the girl in the lab coat and the older man.

“Go away, you’re pissing him off,” Mack warned, and he assumed his glare must be a bit more intimidating than Fitz’s because they scurried away. He took his hand off Fitz’s mouth and grabbed him gently by his shoulders. “Season and a coil, you mean ‘spring’?”

Fitz sighed, but nodded. “Yeah, I mean that,” he muttered, sounding defeated rather than triumphant. He turned back to the specs. “Need a spring here,” he continued, but with far less enthusiasm than before.

Mack sighed and slid his arm around Fitz’s shoulders. “In an ideal world, you could have your own lab. I could be the only lab assistant you use so none of these jackasses could get all over your stuff.”

Fitz sighed and shrugged. “Yeah, I guess.” After a moment tapping his pen he made a face. “And who the hell calls me ‘Dr. Leo Fitz’? What even is that?” He rolled his eyes. “My mum’s the only one that calls me Leo. And I’ve never wanted to be called ‘doctor’ anything.”

Mack shot him a look. “You don’t even get the shitty first name prize.”

Fitz looked up, giving him a playful smile, no matter how tentative. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard your first name.”

Mack grimaced theatrically. “Alphonso.” 

Fitz blinked at him and then snickered, putting a hand over his mouth. “Your name is Alphonso? Wow, that’s almost as bad as Leopold.”

“Psh, _almost_?” Mack argued and Fitz snickered. “My mama always called me ‘Alfie’. My sister calls me Al, but to everybody else I’m Mack, or Uncle Mack, for my niece.”

Fitz smiled. “Same here. Everybody calls me Fitz. Simmons doesn’t even ever call me Leo, even though I call her Jemma.” He shrugged. “Jemma’s a pretty name. It’s no ‘Leo’ or ‘Leopold’.” He smirked, looking up at Mack. “Alphonso.”

Mack groaned, shaking his head. “Nope. I thought it might sound nicer coming from your voice, but nope! Still bad.”

Fitz ducked his eyes with a bashful grin. “Not many people like my accent all that much. It’s not all ‘cute’ like Jemma’s voice.”

“I like it,” Mack said, leaning on his elbows on the table so he and Fitz were closer to the same height. “You don’t sound condescending like Simmons.”

Fitz gave him an apologetic smile. “Pretty sure she’s just like that to you. Sorry. She’s just still a little…”

“Mean?” Mack asked and Fitz laughed.

“Jealous, I think?” he said in a reluctant tone. He tapped on the table. “She just isn’t used to me having a friend that’s not her.”

Mack gave him a flat look. “You have tons of friends.”

Fitz waved a hand. “An… us friend.” He gestured between them, then around the lab. “Alone together friends.” Mack raised an eyebrow and Fitz’s ears turned red. “YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!” he cried, slapping Mack on the arm.

Mack laughed, nodding. “Yeah, Turbo, I get it.” He hummed. “She doesn’t like sharing, but she was okay leaving you alone? That’s like putting something back on the shelf at the library then getting pissed when somebody else takes it.”

Fitz gave him a small, knowing smile. “I noticed that, you know? That day you did the thing with the body-“

Mack barked out a laugh. “The day you made me go bodysnatching with you?”

“Oh stop it, that was far from that bad,” Fitz argued, flapping a hand at him. “Whatever, the point is, you said that thing about taking what you want and she got all- all-“ He made a face and Mack snickered.

“Bitchy?” he asked, and Fitz swatted at his arm.

“That’s rude,” he chastised. “No, all jealous.” He shrugged. “I guess I’m the book she put down and you picked it up while she was gone.”

Mack shrugged “I really don’t care what she thinks about it. I know she didn’t abandon you like I thought at first, but still… you’re not _hers_. You’re her best friend, yeah, but you can have all the friends you want, Turbo.” He shook his head. “Just because nobody appreciated you besides her for a while doesn’t mean it was supposed to stay that way.”

Fitz smiled at Mack, a bright, sunny smile that he was used to seeing only when Fitz was really happy. “I’m glad it didn’t stay that way.” He shrugged, ducking his head sheepishly. “It’s different. With you. Jemma’s my best friend, and she always has been, but she always had other friends. I like having somebody else that gets me, is all.”

Mack grinned at the bashful look on Fitz’s face when he looked up and then quickly turned to get back to his work. “I like being somebody that gets you, Turbo,” he said as he watched Fitz get back to working on the schematics.

~

When Fitz got frustrated, Mack was always amused by how someone so sweet could spit out words that would make _May_ blush. “Stop being a FUCKIN’ TIT you piece of shite!” he swore, throwing an electrical board he’d been working on across the table.

“Whoa, Turbo!” Mack said, walking around to put a hand on his back. Fitz just growled as he grabbed a box of fuses. 

“My _hands_ won’t listen to me, you _useless_ bastards!” he said, looking at his hands.

Mack sighed and grabbed his hands, tugging Fitz around to face him. “Stop that.” He held Fitz’s hands up in front of him, curling his fingers around his palms. “See these? These hands have put up with a bunch of shit from you in your life. You’ve used them build incredible things.” He held them against his chest, making Fitz look at him, not his hands. “You can’t blame your hands for wanting a break, can you?”

Fitz sighed, letting his head fall backwards. “Maaaaack-“

“No,” Mack argued, squeezing his hands. “You just have to keep at it, okay?” He waited until Fitz looked at him. “You can only get better by keeping trying.” He shook his head. “I know you’re frustrated, but giving up won’t help anything.”

Fitz pouted. “But it’s _hard_.” He dropped his forehead against Mack’s chest. “You said it, Mack. I’ve used my hands to build incredible things. Now I can’t even wire a circuit board.”

Mack nodded, letting his chin brush the top of Fitz’s head. “I know, but all you can do is try to rewire those pathways in that big ol’ brain of yours,” he said, and Fitz pulled back, eyes full of sadness. “You just need to practice.”

“But _how_? This isn’t working,” he said, nodding his head at the table.

Mack pulled back some with a smile. “Just gotta keep working your hands.” He dropped one of Fitz’s hands and held the other in both hands, bending his fingers and straightening them. “Gotta tell you, Turbo, with cute little hands like yours, you can probably do a lot of small, finite things to try and work on dexterity.”

Fitz grumbled. “My hand’s aren’t- aren’t- not big. You’re just a giant,” he accused and Mack chuckled, shrugging.

“Yeah, I can own up to that one,” he laughed. “Still, you gotta use these right here-“ He straightened Fitz’s hand out, tapping his finger along Fitz’s fingertips. “So they’ll listen to you more, okay, Turbo?” he murmured softly.

Fitz smiled some as he watched Mack playing with his fingers. “Well, when you put it that way-“

“Hey Fitz-“ They both turned simultaneously only to see Simmons stop so abruptly Skye ran into the back of her. “Simmons, what the-“ She stopped and glanced up, only to smirk when she saw Fitz and Mack. “Well now, are we interrupting?”

Mack frowned then looked at Fitz the same time Fitz turned back, only for both of them to end up staring at their hands. “Oh, uh-“ Mack dropped Fitz’s hand and Fitz blushed, putting his hands in the pockets of his sweater. “Hey, Skye,” Mack said, nodding their way. “Simmons.”

Simmons fixed on a smile Mack had a feeling was fake. “Hello Agent Mackenzie,” she said, and Skye just smirked at Mack.

“So. You and Fitz getting some hands on work done, huh,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows.

“Fitz was just having a little trouble with an electrical board, that’s all,” he dismissed.

Fitz hummed unhappily. “Hands’re being right wankers today,” he said, only to stop as he reached for the plyers and flush bright red even before Skye could burst out laughing and Simmons grimaced sympathetically. “I-I mean they’re- my erm- erm-“

“Dexterity,” Mack said and Fitz nodded.

“Yeah, that. It’s not good. Is all.” He cringed. “Skye, please stop-“

“You and Mack are progressing way faster than I thought if THAT is what you get up to in the lab!” she laughed loudly, doubling over. “Simmons, I’m so happy you taught me that word-“

“Don’t blame it on me,” Simmons deflected. She shoved at Skye then turned back. “Fitz! We’re going to watch a film. Would you like to join us?” she asked, and Fitz perked up some.

“Yeah, great! Haven’t had a movie night in ages,” he said, then reached over and tugged at Mack’s shirt. “You, too,” he urged.

Mack started to accept, but he saw the way Simmons deflated some, and Mack decided it really wasn’t her fault they kept clashing. She was trying her best to get back close to Fitz and Mack really was occupying a lot of his time. “Actually, I’ve got some stuff to do,” he said, looking at Fitz. “Almost finished the last box, you know?”

Fitz looked a little disappointed, but understanding. “Ah, yeah, that makes sense.” He shrugged. “Maybe I’ll stop in later, then?”

Mack smiled and nodded. “Always welcome, you know that, Turbo.” He waved to Fitz when he put away his stuff and left with Skye and Simmons, waiting only a few minutes before deciding he may as well go actually work on some sewing.

~

Mack didn’t bother looking up when there was a knock. “It’s open,” he called.

Fitz walked in with an excited looking smile. “Hey, sooo I was thinking.” He walked over. “You know how you mentioned working on my dexterity?” Mack nodded, raising an eyebrow. Fitz shrugged with a small smile. “You think you could show me how to sew? Maybe I could help you out?”

Mack grinned. “I think that’s a great idea,” he said, then patted the bed beside him. “Wanna start now?”

Fitz nodded and walked over, crawling onto the bed, crossing his legs. “Alright, Obi Wan. Teach me your ways.”

“Alright.” He held up the tiny dress he was working on. “I usually use the sewing machine but it’s loud so I didn’t wanna use it this late. Tripp’s room is on the other side of the wall.” He shifted some and laid the dress in Fitz’s lap, over his knee. “The strap sews on down here,” he said, pointing at a spot on the dress. “Alright, first test of the cute little Fitz Fingers,” he joked and Fitz rolled his eyes at him. “Can you hold this?” He handed Fitz the already threaded needle.

Fitz carefully took it, smiling when it worked. “Alright. Here comes the hard part,” he said, and Mack nodded.

“You’ll wanna go in all the way through, then come back through.” He guided Fitz’s hand to go through. “Now pull that tight.” He watched and nodded when Fitz got it. “Alright, you push it back through right beside it now.”

“Not around?” he asked, and Mack shook his head.

“No, right-“ He guided Fitz’s hand. “Right there.” Fitz did what he said, and Mack nodded with a proud smile. “Just like that. Now just keep doing that about forty more times.”

Fitz blinked. “Did you just say _forty_?”

Mack nodded with a smirk. “I told you I’ve only had three boxes all the time I’ve been here. This will be number four. Sewing takes time, man.”

Fitz sighed, but shrugged. “I guess it’s good for my hands at least.”

“That’s the spirit,” Mack said, leaning close so he could watch Fitz stitching. Fitz didn’t seem to mind the warm line Mack’s body pressed along his one bit, so Mack didn’t move away after correcting him.

~

 

After Fitz got a hang of a needle and thread, he decided he really wanted to learn how to use the sewing machine. They decided the lab was better suited for teaching Fitz to sew than the tiny desk in the corner of Mack’s little room. They waited until everybody else had gone and Mack carried the sewing machine into the lab. He sat it on a table and turned on the light over that table. Fitz dumped the fabric scraps Mack had for them to practice on onto the table beside it. “Alright, Turbo. Let’s get to sewing!”

Fitz watched and listened as Mack explained how to put the thread in place, exactly what a bobbin was, and where to put the settings so that the thread didn’t snap. “Okay, put the foot down,” Mack instructed and Fitz did what he said. “You operate the speed with the pedal on the floor,” he said, and Fitz looked, only to frown.

“Erm…” He looked up and blushed. “Uh, Mack. I can’t reach sitting.” He stood up and pushed the stool aside, but when he tried to stand with one foot on the pedal and all his balance on the other, he wobbled.

Mack snickered. “I got you, don’t worry.” He stepped up loser to Fitz and put his hands on his shoulders. “Don’t worry about balance. I’ve got you now.”

Fitz nodded, then got everything ready to try again. He carefully put the fabric swath in place and then pressed the pedal, starting the fabric going through. It took several tries to get the speed going right, and even then, he kept missing the line or jerking the fabric. “Oh my God I think this is harder than sewing by hand!” he groaned, dropping his head back against Mack’s shoulder to glare up at him. “I’m hopeless.”

Mack gave him a stern look. “Fitz, you are a genius – literally – and you have multiple degrees in engineering. You can work a sewing machine.”

Fitz pouted. “Wanna bet?”

Mack tutted and reached around him. “You work the pedal, lemme show you something.” He got a new piece of fabric to feed to the start. “If you look at these lines? Just keep it lined up there. And don’t push the fabric, the foot pulls it through. Press the pedal.” Fitz listened and within moments Mack had a straight stitch going. “See?”

Fitz nodded. “Here, let me try.” He took the fabric and Mack dropped his hands to Fitz’s waist, looking over him as he leaned in some to start the new stitch. “I think- yeah!” He made a pleased sound as he began a long, straight stitch.

Mack grinned. “You got it, Fitz,” he said warmly, patting at Fitz’s side before leaning around him some to get one of the dresses Fitz had been working on. “Alright. Let’s see if you can do a hem on here.”

Fitz took the dress and lined it all up with only minimal twitching in his fingers. Mack kept watching closely, giving tips and encouragement where necessary, but staying out of Fitz’s way for the most part as he worked. He had no idea how long Fitz had been working when a voice interrupted.

“Um, are you two reenacting that scene from Ghost?” They both looked up quickly, nearly jumping out of their skins when Hunter spoke. 

“Jesus, Hunter, trying to give me a heart attack?” Mack asked.

“Ghost?” Fitz asked with a small frown.

Hunter looked between them. “The movie. You know, the scene with the pottery wheel?” He gestured around the lab. “Lights are low, you two are standing in the only light on, and you’re all… that.” Mack looked down and realized he was pressed firmly against Fitz’s back, hands resting on his hip and stomach as he leaned over him to watch. “Only that’s… a sewing machine,” Hunter finished, frowning. “Why are you sewing?”

Fitz looked up and smiled. “Mack sews clothes for a charity that gives them to poor kids, and he’s teaching me!” he said excitedly, clearly not at all bothered by Mack basically spooning him standing up. He looked back at Mack. “Um, sorry, was that okay?” he asked looking nervous.

Mack smiled and nodded. “Yeah, I’m not embarrassed or nothing like that.”

Hunter made a curious noise. “That’s actually really cool, Mate,” he said, nodding. “Still say it looks like you’re recreating that scene from Ghost though.”

Fitz shook his head. “Still have no clue what you’re talking about.”

“You didn’t see Ghost?” Hunter asked skeptically. “Your best friend is a girl, you know this, right?”

Fitz rolled his eyes. “We weren’t best friends when that movie came out, if you haven’t noticed. We’d have both been three years old or something.” He pointed at him. “Also, don’t be sexist. You really think with the women we hang out with her that Ghost is anyone’s favorite film?”

Hunter shrugged. “Good point. Also, I was a little kid then, too. Not that little, mind you. Still seen the movie. It comes on all the time.”

Mack chuckled. “I actually saw that one in theatres,” he said and Fitz spluttered.

“Shut up, you cannot be older than _Hunter_ ,” Fitz said in surprise.

Mack nodded with a smile. “I was fourteen when that movie came out.”

Fitz just opened and closed his mouth a few times before letting out a rough, “ _Wow_.” He laughed some. “You don’t look a day over thirty-two.”

Mack made a face. “Yeah, well, you might actually look man-aged when you hit my age,” he teased and Fitz slapped at his shoulder.

“Oh not you, too-“

Hunter interrupted. “I genuinely thought you were younger than your girl Simmons. You look all of about seventeen, not late twenties.”

Fitz smirked. “All the lack of sunlight. A tan will make you age like mad. Never go outside, never age,” he joked, then tugged at Mack’s sleeve. “Come on, I wanna finish this. Get it going again for me,” he said, and Mack ignored Hunter’s mocking salute as he left when Mack leaned against Fitz again, reaching around him to get the stitch going for him.

~

Mack was almost sure he was dreaming.

“Mack… tell me the truth,” Fitz said, looking a head of them. “Am I hallucinating?”

Mack shook his head. “No, Turbo, cause I see it to.”

‘It’ was May and Coulson sitting in front of the Xbox clearly playing against each other. The others had all gathered and were cheering for one or the other, also. Mack was pretty sure the abundance of alcohol on the coffee table had a factor in _Coulson and May_ letting their hair down, so to speak, but Mack had never actually seen either of them switched off.

“Oh come sit down!” Bobbi said, kicking at the empty space on the couch with her. “Pick a team!”

Skye raised a hand. “Coulson is gonna win, I call it now!”

“No way,” Bobbi argued, passing Mack a beer as he walked around and sat down, Fitz sitting on the arm of the couch beside him. “May’s a master assassin.”

“And what am I then?” Coulson asked before cursing when he had to run from something on the game. 

May smirked. “The G-Man.”

Half the room laughed loudly, and Coulson died on the screen.

“Maaaay,” he complained, dropping the remote. “You cheated,” he accused, grabbing his drink.

“Oh God, it’s a shame SHIELD fell, there was about a thousand dollars in the ‘who would win at Halo’ betting pool!” Bobbi complained.

“Oh, I know,” Phil said, snorting. “Even bigger than the one about whether I ever slept with Mel,” he said, and May scoffed, rolling her eyes.

“In your dreams maybe-“

“Oh no, even a dream about that would end in being beaten to death,” he countered, making her smile. “I know better.”

Tripp grinned. “So the betting pool thing, that still happened all the way up, huh? I thought that was an Academy and small-team kinda thing.”

Fitz nearly spit his beer out as he laughed suddenly, arm going around Mack’s shoulder to not fall off the couch. “Jemma! Remember the one about you and Archie Miller-“

Simmons groaned, making a face. “Oh God, I wouldn’t have gone on a date with him if he was the last boy at the Academy!”

“Yeah, but everybody thought you two were a thing in secret!” He snickered, shaking his head. “My roommate first year had a bet with some of the biochem students that you were a full on lesbian, too.”

Simmons balked. “What? I made out with him in the Boiler Room! He was a terrible kisser, it’s not my fault I didn’t stick around,” she defended.

Skye tutted. “Jemma, Jemma, Jemma. And you play up the ‘good girl’ thing,” she teased and Simmons rolled her eyes.

“Well it’s not like much else went on at the Academy. There weren’t but about two other people besides me and Fitz that were our age. Everybody else were adults,” she said. “I dated one guy our last year for a little while, but you know.” She made a face, shaking her head. “I never really felt like bothering after that. It’s just so much less interesting than working in a lab. Men are so _boring_ ,” she said, making a face. “Being smart has its disadvantages,” she said and Fitz nodded seriously.

“That’s why I never had any friends besides you,” he said, and she nodded in agreement. “You’re the only one that actually made _sense_ pretty much until we ended up in the higher level SHIELD labs.”

Simmons put a hand on Hunter’s arm, leaning back so he could hear. “See, Fitz’s IQ is extremely high, so normal people are very, very dull to us.”

Fitz nodded. “Pretty much.” He smiled playfully at Skye. “Some more than others.”

Skye huffed and threw a cheese puff at him. “Simmons has more degrees than you and she does alright with social interactions.”

Fitz scoffed. “She only seems smarter than me because she loves homework more than life itself! When I met her, I thought I’d stumbled across Hermione-“

“Oh I hate it when you call me that,” Simmons argued. “I don’t go around calling you Neville, do I-“

“I’m sooo not a Neville,” Fitz argued.

Skye bit her lip. “Oh wow, you kind of are,” she said, putting a hand over her mouth to hide her smile.

May glanced at Coulson. “Does any of that make sense to you?” she asked, and Coulson gave her a sad shake of his head.

“Still never read Harry Potter, huh?” he asked and May rolled her eyes at him.

“So wait,” Hunter said, gesturing to Fitz with his drink. “You’ve never dated _anybody_ right? I figured if you’re so smart, you’d have been popular at nerd school.”

Fitz shrugged. “It’s like Simmons said. We were so much younger than everybody else. We’re the youngest to ever graduate from SHIELD Academy.”

“Elizabeth Turner,” Simmons said and Fitz mimed gagging. 

“Yes, but she was like twenty-four and I was _seventeen_!” he stressed. He tapped Mack’s elbow. “This girl in one of my classes had a crush on me, and one of the few times Jemma convinced me to go to the Boiler Room with her instead of stay in and do more work, Elizabeth Turner totally bought me some drinks just so they could talk me into spin the bottle and she could kiss me.”

“The best part!” Simmons laughed, leaning against Skye. “The best part is that of all the times the bottle spun with her and her friends, it never landed so she’d kiss Fitz!”

Fitz shook his head. “Pretty sure I kissed every single kid in that corner expect Elizabeth Turner that night. It was actually hilarious.”

Skye shook her head. “Man, I can’t imagine being a genius kid like you guys. It had to be so tough to get along with people, you know? I mean hell, I lived in a van and still had a social life.”

Simmons hummed and glanced at Fitz, who shrugged. “Don’t know any- any-“

Mack squeezed Fitz’s ankle. “Different.”

“Yeah,” Fitz said. “Most I ever talked to anybody was after we all ended up on the Bus,” he said simply. “Never had anything in common with anybody besides Simmons.”

Simmons nodded. “Pretty much, yeah. Other than work, it’s hard to connect with people, so we just stuck to each other. It’s been easier since, no matter how tough things got.”

Hunter seemed to nod along to Simmons, only to turn to Fitz. “Mate, we gotta get you a date. It’s just not right a cute little bugger like you never went out on a date,” he said in mock-seriousness. “I don’t even swing that way and I wanna hug you sometimes,” he teased and Fitz rolled his eyes but laughed all the same. “You’re just so damn _adorable_.”

Bobbi gave Mack a significant look that he didn’t miss, but thankfully she didn’t say anything. Mack knew it was only a matter of time, though.

~

The last thing Mack expected when he and Fitz walked back to their rooms early, deciding to turn in before the others did, was for Fitz to stop in front of Mack’s door and block his way, looking up at him. “Um, I- I was wondering something,” he said, looking nervous.

Mack tilted his head. “What’s up, Turbo?”

Fitz took a breath, seeming to be building strength, before quickly asking, “Would you like to get a drink, sometime?”

Mack gave him a curious look. “Uh, pretty sure we just had more than enough drinks.”

Fitz glared at him some. “I mean _us_ , Dummy.” He waved a hand. “What I mean is- well-“ He shrugged, smiling a little shyly. “You like me, right?” he asked, biting his bottom lip. “At least I hope you do. You seem to.” He rocked onto his toes and back onto his heels. “So this is me. Asking you out. Like a date.”

Mack had to let it sink in a minute because _Fitz_ had just asked HIM out. Sure, they were close, but Fitz was still a pretty shy person. Mack needed a moment to think before a smile spread across his lips. “Actually, yeah. I’d love to go get a drink with you sometime,” he said, not sure whether to be more proud of Fitz or shocked by realizing the way he felt might not be so one-sided after all.

Fitz looked up, clearly surprised. “Wait, _really_?” he asked skeptically and Mack huffed, rolling his eyes with a smile.

“Yes, really. What? You’re the one that said you can tell I like you,” he said and Fitz flapped a hand frantically.

“Yeah but… but I still half-feared it was wishful thinking. Hell, only reason I had the guts to blurt it out is all the alcohol in my system,” he said with a shy little grin.

Mack leaned against his door with a smirk, crossing his arms. “So you’re only asking me out cause you’re drunk, huh?”

“No!” Fitz said quickly. “I definitely want to go out with you sober-“

Mack laughed and put a hand on Fitz’s shoulder, squeezing. “I know, Turbo, I’m just playing,” he said, smiling a smaller, sweeter smile when Fitz’s eyes shimmered a bit 

“Sooo maybe next time we get some time off? I mean, we can’t really go _out_ but we can figure something out,” he said with a sheepish little shrug, scratching at the hair behind his ear as he bit his bottom lip.

Mack nodded, feeling comfortably warm from both the alcohol and from Fitz asking him out on a date. “Sounds good,” he said, then nodded at his room. “I’m gonna get some sleep. Gotta work on some stuff in the morning.”

Fitz nodded, ruffling his curls. “Yeah, same here. Hoping to finish those damn circuit boards,” he said, backing away a few steps. “Erm, ‘night,” he said with one last, small, private smile before turning and walking casually away. Mack walked into his room and as soon as the door shut, he heard Fitz’s pace pick up as he practically ran down the hall to his room.

~

It was a busy few days before Fitz sat down beside Mack and fiddled with his pen. “So, I was thinking… I’m not busy tonight, and you’ve been sitting here all day, so I’m guessing you aren’t busy.” He gave a nervous shuffle in his seat. “Wanna, you know. Do something tonight?”

Mack smiled, putting down his book. “Finally gonna buy me a drink?” he teased and Fitz huffed.

“I wish. It would be nice to actually go out on a date. Best I can offer is bribing someone to keep everybody else out of the lounge and watch a movie probably,” he said with a slump to his shoulders.

Mack glanced out the window. “Why not go out? Unless you don’t want to,” he backtracked.

“I’m not allowed,” Fitz said with a shrug.

Mack gave him a disbelieving look. “You aren’t _allowed_ to leave the base?”

Fitz nodded. “HYDRA knows what I look like so Coulson says I can’t leave.”

“The US government and HYDRA and everybody else knows what he looks like,” Mack argued. “That’s just ridiculous. I don’t have any reason to leave, but can go whenever I want.”

Fitz shrugged. “It’s stupid, but I’m- I’m all-“ He gestured at his head and made wiggly fingers. “I guess they think I’ll get lost and confused or something. They don’t want to risk it.”

Mack rolled his eyes. “You just have a little trouble communicating. It’s not like you get confused about things like that.”

“Yeah, but they’d have to talk to me to know that,” Fitz said in a small voice. 

Mack looked at him for a while then knocked on the table. “Alright, Turbo, tonight we’re going out.” 

Fitz looked up in surprise. “But I can’t-“

“I’ll sneak you out,” Mack said with a dismissive shrug. “Coulson doesn’t get to act like you’re nuts when I almost had to shoot his ass that one time cause he lost his damn mind.” He smiled secretively. “I’ll get a car, you pick somewhere to go.”

Fitz gave Mack a bright smile. “You’re serious.” 

Mack nodded. “Damn sure am.” He smirked. “Come on, it’s like sneaking out past curfew. It’ll be fun.”

“Yes, because I definitely have a history of sneaking out past curfew,” Fitz said, making a face though he still smiled. “Alright.” He bit his bottom lip. “When?”

“If we go for six, it’ll seem less suspicious,” Mack said. “If we wait to leave after the most work is done, they’re more likely to notice we’re missing.”

Fitz giggled some. “I’m really gonna sneak out like I’m a teenager, not an Agent of SHIELD,” he said, shaking his head as he stood up. “Alright, you get to planning your carjacking. I’ll go make sure nobody actually needs me before we go,” he said as he walked out, leaving Mack to figure out how the hell he was gonna get them out of there in a big SUV painted with SHIELD insignia. 

~

When Fitz got to the garage, Mack was already starting to wonder if he should’ve dressed nicer. All he did was put on clean jeans and a shirt that was nicer than what he worked in the garage in. Fitz arriving stopped him from going to change, though. He was glad to see Fitz was dressed the same as usual, too, only he could see a tie tucked into his cardigan. “Hey, you look nice,” Mack said as he walked closer. “A tie? Fancy,” he joked.

Fitz looked down and blushed slightly. “I-erm, I used to always wear a tie.” He shrugged. “Harder to tie them sometimes now. So I don’t bother a lot. I used to dress much more professionally in the lab.”

Mack shrugged. “Hey, I’m not judging. It’s your lab, the others can all just deal with your undone collar. I don’t even bother with a shirt working on the cars sometimes.”

“Oh, I’ve noticed, trust me,” Fitz said, cheeks pink even as he smiled bashfully at the admission.

Mack couldn’t help be a little smug to learn he’d caught Fitz’s attention before. “Well hey, you ready to go?” he asked, and Fitz nodded, falling into step with him.

“How exactly are we going out, though? It’s not like we can drive around in a truck with a giant SHIELD eagle on the side,” Fitz muttered as they passed some analysts on their way to the access door to the outside.

Mack smirked, holding up some keys. “I’ve got us covered.” When they got out to where the personal cars were all parked in a fenced in area behind the building, he pressed the button on the key fob and the lights flashed on a car a few spaces down. “Bingo!”

He unlocked the car and Fitz circled around to get in the passenger side. When he climbed in, he looked around curiously. “Whose car is this?”

“Koenig,” Mack said with a grin as he started the car and backed out. “Just ‘borrowing’ it.”

“You stole Koenig’s keys?” Fitz asked, snickering. “Better be careful, he’ll revoke your lanyard,” he teased and Mack snorted. 

“As if we’ll get caught,” he said, even though he glanced around to make sure they were in the clear as he drove them away from Base and headed towards town.

~

Fitz directed him to a bar not too far away from Base. It was a nicer place than Mack was used to – not that he was much of a bar person – but it was still casual enough. At first, Mack didn’t think much of how crowded it was. He and Fitz got drinks and sat down, and Mack started telling him about something that happened. Fitz responded enough to what he was saying that he didn’t question Fitz’s fidgeting until someone dropped a glass and Fitz jerked sharply at the loud sound.

Mack grabbed his wrist, frowning when he felt how Fitz was shaking. “You okay?” he asked, and Fitz nodded.

“Yeah- yes.” He winced when someone brushed past him and Mack glanced around at the crowd, realization dawning on him.

“The crowd bothering you?” Mack asked gently, stroking at Fitz’s wrist with his thumb.

Fitz gave him an apologetic look. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think a crowd would bother me,” he muttered, and Mack shook his head.

“It’s no big deal, man.” He looked at his watch and got an idea. “Hey, I think there’s a pizza place just down the street. Wanna go get something to eat instead?” he suggested.

Fitz smiled, looking a little relieved, and nodded. “That actually sounds really great,” he said, downing the last of his drink before standing, clearly eager to leave.

Mack stood up and slid on his jacket, then held out his hand, taking Fitz’s hand to help lead him through the people between them and the door. He could feel Fitz staying close to him, using him sort of as a shield to the door. When they got outside, Fitz paused for a moment, taking a deep breath with a happy look. “Sorry I didn’t notice the way the crowd was bothering you,” Mack said, squeezing his hand gently.

Fitz shook his head as they started walking. “It’s alright. I’m the one that wanted to go there. I just didn’t know I’d have problems with crowds. I didn’t used to get claustrophobic before-“ He trailed off and Mack squeezed his hand with a reassuring smile.

“It’s okay, Turbo. I get it,” he said, and Fitz smiled up at him, making Mack’s chest feel warm for a moment. “So, pizza?”

Fitz nodded. “Pizza sounds good,” he said, a little bounce to his step as he faced ahead while they walked, Mack slowing down so it was easier for Fitz to keep up.

Mack didn’t miss the way that Fitz let him hold his hand the whole way to the pizza place he’d spotted on the drive there.

~

Mack locked Koenig’s car and waited at the back of the car for Fitz to get his jacket back on and catch up. “Man, I still don’t know where the hell you put all that pizza,” he said, and Fitz laughed as he caught up with Mack.

“I just have a fast- erm-“

“Metabolism? Yeah, I get that now,” Mack teased, hooking an arm around Fitz’s shoulders as he tugged him forward. “You’re way too tiny to fit so much food in you,” he joked.

Fitz shrugged. “Well, if my body is determined to look like a teenage boy for the rest of my life, may as well enjoy eating like it.” He poked Mack in the bicep playfully. “Not all of us can be four hundred pounds of solid muscle,” he grumbled and Mack snickered.

“I’m big, not the Hulk, Turbo,” he said, using his lanyard to open the door for them. He let Fitz go in first, but slung his arm around Fitz’s shoulders again as soon as he shut the door behind them. It wasn’t late yet, it was before ten, but it was quiet.

“I actually met. Dr. Banner once,” Fitz said. “Not for long, mind you, but he and Tony Stark had to come down to our labs to secure the Tesseract for transportation after the whole New York thing.” He waved a hand. “He’s actually my size normally. The physics behind the Hulk is very interesting. Simmons and I theorized for weeks-“

“There you are.” They both stopped in their spot at May’s voice. She stalked up to them, looking pretty pissed. “Where the hell did you two disappear to? Simmons couldn’t find you, Fitz, and we all looked the whole base over and realized you both were gone! Do you have any idea how much trouble we went through looking for you?!”

“May?” Mack glanced at Fitz, who shuffled closer, tucking himself into Mack’s side some at Coulson’s voice. When he came around the corner with Skye following him like a duckling, he looked both relieved and pissed to spot them. “Fitz! Where the hell did you disappear to?”

Skye ran around Coulson and May and hugged Fitz, squishing him further into Mack’s side. “Oh my God, we were so worried!”

“For what?” Fitz asked, when she pulled away. He stepped a little further away from Mack, catching his hand between their legs rather than hiding against him. “I told Hunter where I was going when I left my room and he asked why I was all dressed up!”

May glared at Coulson. “Did you not even ask the others where they were?” she asked, sounding exasperated.

Coulson gave Fitz a confused look. “Wait, you _left_?”

Fitz’s face shut down and his cheeks showed splotches of red. “No, I wandered off, Sir, obviously.” He shook his head angrily. “YES I left.”

Skye glanced at him and then at Mack, and Mack could see the realization dawning on her. “Ooohhh.”

“What ‘oh’?” Coulson asked, and May looked at Skye expectantly. 

Mack made a sound of disgust and May glared at him. He just tilted his head, waiting for her remark. Fitz shook his head and tugged Mack’s hand, walking around the other three. “C’mon,” he mumbled as he led Mack down the hall and towards the lab. 

Before they could get past the lounge, however, Coulson and May followed. “Excuse me, but I have some questions still,” Coulson said, brushing off Skye, who was trying to talk him out of it. “Look, I’m sorry we freaked out instead of just asking around-“

Fitz seemed to snap, spinning around on them. “No, you’re not!” he exploded, face flushed with anger. “All of you think I’m a fuckin’ INVALID!” he shouted, and Mack knew he’d probably panic later when he realized he cursed at the Director of SHIELD, but clearly he was humiliated by the way they handled the situation and Mack hated seeing him so upset. “I’m NOT!”

May sighed, shaking her head. “Fitz, we know you’re not-“

“Then why do all of y’all still treat him like a kid?” Mack asked, crossing his arms as he looked at them. “Yeah, the others are doing better, Skye and the rest, but you two?” He shook his head, looking at Coulson. “Sir, I mean this with no disrespect intended, but you don’t know a damn thing about Fitz.” He gestured between May and Coulson, ignoring Skye’s horrified motions to stop behind them. “You don’t ever talk to him. And I know you’re busy, that’s not your job, but you two haven’t figured out what the rest of them did – and they only did after I pointed it out – but Fitz is _fine_.”

May gave him a flat look. “You are new. You don’t know that-“

“He’s right!” Fitz stressed. “I have trouble- trouble-“ He growled in frustration. “My words aren’t right. And my hands are bad.” He held up his hands. “But _I_ am the same.” Mack hated seeing tears in Fitz’s eyes as he tapped his temples. “This?! This is all the same! In here, I’m the _same_!” He shook his head. “I don’t hallucinate anymore, and I- I can talk better now. The only people to even notice are the ones who didn’t know me before. But you treat me like I’m useless, and I’m _not_ useless!”

“Nobody thinks you’re useless, Fitz,” Coulson said and Fitz gave a harsh, angry laugh of disbelief. 

“You all just stuck me in a lab and left me there! When Simmons gave up on me, the rest of you didn’t bother trying. And now that I’m finally _okay_ , you suddenly think I’m a danger to myself?” he asked. “You didn’t worry about me ‘wandering off’ when you all left me sitting in my lab all day long, but now that I’m fine and _literally told a friend where I was going_ , you all freak out!”

May shook her head. “Fitz, we’re just worried-“

“Maybe you should’ve been worried months ago when I _was left alone and nobody even tried to talk to me_!” he shouted, cutting her off. “I am not a child, and nobody ever gave me direct orders to stay on premises, meaning I’m just as free as anybody else here to go out and do things in my free time!”

The door opened beside them. “Hey, what is with all the shouting out here?” Hunter asked, only to stop and look at them. “Whoa, how did you get from going out on a date to yelling at our superiors?” he asked, looking slightly worried.

Coulson looked at Hunter like he had three heads. “A _date_?” he asked, then looked at Fitz with a confused look. “With who?”

Mack made a disbelieving face and cleared his throat. Fitz raised an eyebrow and waved a hand towards Mack at his side. Hunter scoffed, laughing. “Director, he’s about eight feet tall, it’s hard to miss him.”

Coulson and May exchanged looks and Coulson looked between Fitz and Mack. “So…” He gestured between them. “You two. Were out on a date. With each other?”

Mack gave him a look. “Got a problem with that?” he asked, and Coulson’s eyes widened. 

“Oh, no, not at all,” he said quickly. “I just didn’t realize-“ He smiled tightly. “You know. I think this whole discussion should probably be done in the morning when we’ve all calmed down.”

Fitz rolled his eyes. “Will that be all, Director Coulson, Sir?” He tilted his head. “I could always go sit in my lab like you expect me to,” he said, and Mack sighed, shaking his head.

“Come on, Turbo.” He curled an arm around his shoulders. “Just let it go before you say something you regret, okay?” he murmured so only Fitz heard him.

Fitz looked up and nodded, eyes red and lashes damp from nearly coming to tears. “Yeah, okay.” He let Mack lead him away from the others, who they could all hear talking behind them as they left.

When they got to Mack’s door, he smiled supportively at Fitz. “Come on, sewing some buttons will help you relax, won’t it?” he suggested and Fitz managed a weak smile and nodded.

“Yeah, I’m sure it will.” When Mack opened the door, Fitz shuffled in, eyes downcast. He shrugged off his jacket and walked over to sit at Mack’s desk, moving slowly and almost as if on auto-pilot as he grabbed one of the things they had been last working on. Mack kicked off his boots and shrugged off his jacket as he walked over. He flopped onto the bed and just looked at Fitz, who fumbled with the latch on the box where the thread was, only to whine in frustration and shove the box away, throwing the fabric after it before dropping his face into his hands.

Mack’s heart sank and he stood up, closing the small distance. “Oh Fitz,” he said, putting a hand on his shoulder. Fitz let out a shuddering breath as he lifted his head, blinking up at him. “C’mere,” he said, and Fitz stood up, whimpering as he immediately slid into Mack’s arms, head tucked under his chin. Mack curled his arms around him, rubbing his back soothingly.

“I just- I hate knowing they can make me feel this way,” Fitz whimpered, voice muffled by Mack’s shirt. “My whole good day gone to shit,” he muttered and Mack pressed his lips to the top of his head to keep from laughing. 

“You’ve got a mouth on you when you’re frustrated, Turbo,” he joked and Fitz laughed weakly as he pulled back to look up at Mack. Mack’s chest tightened as he saw a tear track on Fitz’s cheek. He reached up and swiped his thumb under his eye, breath stuttering some when Fitz’s eyes fluttered shut and his long eyelashes brushed Mack’s finger. “You know… other than getting home to the head of SHIELD being a giant asshole, tonight was pretty great.”

Fitz laughed, shaking his head as he opened his eyes. “Sure you don’t regret saying yes when I asked you out?” he asked and Mack shook his head, smiling down at him.

“No way.” He curled his hand around Fitz’s jaw, looking into his big, pretty blue eyes. “Totally worth it.”

Fitz smiled, blushing a little. “Really?” he asked in a soft tone.

Mack nodded. “Really,” he murmured as he leaned in, tilting Fitz’s chin up so he could kiss him gently. Mack didn’t put too much into the kiss in case Fitz wanted to pull away, but Fitz did the opposite. Fitz twisted his hand in Mack’s shirt, tugging him down further so he could kiss him harder. Mack made a surprised sound against Fitz’s lips and Fitz broke the kiss with a laugh. “Well now, clearly I found how to cheer you up,” Mack joked and Fitz ducked his head bashfully before glancing back up, a pleased little smile on his lips as he looked into Mack’s eyes.

“Hard to keep feeling unwanted when a hot guy’s kissing you,” he said softly, glancing down at Mack’s lips again. Mack leaned down and kissed him again, curling his hand around the back of Fitz’s head. When Fitz moaned softly into his mouth, Mack couldn’t help but want to hear that sound again. He slid his hand down Fitz’s side, pulling Fitz closer as he carefully parted Fitz’s lips with his tongue, earning a pleased whine. Fitz’s hands slid to his arms, holding onto them as he rose up on his toes to kiss Mack deeper. Mack’s fingers found the strip of skin showing between Fitz’s shirt and jeans as he stretched up, and he moaned softly as the soft, warm skin under his fingertips, then his palm as he slid his hand up, sliding up Fitz’s spine. 

Fitz shivered against him, squeaking some. He slid a hand up to the back of Mack’s neck, but then pulled away, making Mack grumble unhappily and try to follow. “Erm,” Fitz said, pulling away with a sheepish smile. “Could you maybe-“ He grabbed Mack’s hand and pulled it from under his shirt. “Sorry, I just- not-“

Mack nodded, moving his hands back to Fitz’s sides, over his shirt. “Yeah, of course,” he said, giving him a smile. “Just smack my hand or something if you can’t get the words out and I do something you don’t want, okay?”

“I can probably get the words out, it’s just kinda embarrassing,” Fitz groaned, dropping his head back dramatically. “I’ve just never- erm. I just don’t wanna do anything tonight like that.”

Mack leaned in and kissed his jaw since he had his head dropped back. “Use your words, Turbo,” he encouraged, and Fitz hummed happily, tilting his head to the side so that Mack could kiss further along his jaw and down his throat. “Remember, I wouldn’t judge you, okay? I’ve stuck with you through hallucinations and breakdowns. Takes a lot to scare me off.”

Fits sighed happily as Mack kissed the skin just below his ear. “You’re gonna make me say it, aren’t you?” he asked and Mack just nipped at his skin, making him shiver. “I’ve never had sex before,” he muttered softly. “So I just- I don’t want to right away. Especially not after yelling at the others and having that in my mind already. Just a very stressful day.”

Mack pulled away and looked him in the eyes, stroking a hand through his hair. “I get that,” he said, leaning in to press a kiss to his cheek, smiling when Fitz made a face at it. “I mean, I figured you hadn’t the way you talked about not dating people, but it’s not that big of a deal to me.” Fitz gave him a disbelieving look and Mack chuckled. “Turbo, you heard me mention the hallucinations and breakdowns part, right?” He stroked a thumb along Fitz’s bottom lip. “If I wanted somebody to just sleep with, don’t you think I’d have gone with somebody easier?” he asked and Fitz made a considering face.

“Well, probably, but you never know. Maybe pasty little nerds is your type,” he joked lightly and Mack grinned. Fitz reached up and laid his hand on Mack’s cheek. “You sure it’s okay? I mean, I understand I’m a lot of trouble-“

“Nope, stop that,” Mack chastised, kissing him quickly to stop him. “You, Leo Fitz, are beautiful, and funny, and an actual genius,” he said and Fitz’s smile widened under the praise. “You aren’t trouble, you’re _worth_ it.” He pressed into his palm. “I want _you_. Not to just have sex with you.”

Fitz nodded and kissed him sweetly. “You’re very sweet, has anybody ever told you that?” he asked and Mack shrugged.

“I try.” Fitz laughed, something Mack always found incredibly beautiful. 

“Besides,” Fitz said, biting his lip as he moved his hand from Mack’s face to his chest. “It’s not that I don’t _want_ to have sex or something. I definitely, absolutely want to. With you, hopefully,” he said, looking at where he was sliding a hand down Mack’s sternum, feeling of the muscles on either side of his hand. “Really, really hope that’s in the cards later,” he added and Mack smirked and nodded.

“Definitely later,” he said, leaning in to kiss Fitz sweetly. “I’m serious about this, Turbo. As long as you are, too, we’ve got nothing but time. No reason to rush things.”

Fitz nodded, eyes growing more serious. “I’m serious about this, too, Mack,” he said and Mack nodded back.

“Then it’s all good,” he muttered, sneaking another kiss. “Hey, so, no funny business, but I can keep kissing you right now, right? Not too tired?”

Fitz chuckled lower in his throat than usual and shook his head. “Definitely up for more kissing,” he said, tugging a handful of Mack’s shirt to get him down to his level again.

“Sounds good,” Mack murmured, curling his arms around Fitz again. Things might not always be that easy, but from where he stood, Mack would take what he got and be happy with it. 

Any day that ended in wrapping Fitz up in his arms was a good day in Mack’s book.

**Author's Note:**

> In case you're wondering, I've totally got a sequel planned already!

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Coming Home](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2640116) by [heartsdesire456](https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartsdesire456/pseuds/heartsdesire456)




End file.
